Amira El Karfa impressed on her debut competing among the under-16 age group at a Grade 5 tournament in Manchester, England.

The Bermudian held her own on the way to reaching the quarter-finals in the under-16 girls singles, where she was ultimately eliminated from the event at the Cheadle Kingsway Tennis Club.

El Karfa breezed past rival Danielle Dwase 4-0, 4-1 in the round of sixteen to progress to the last eight.

However, that was as good as it got for the promising player who suffered a 4-1, 4-2 loss to rival Jameela Terzic in the quarter-final.

Despite coming up short, the 14-year-old says there were positives to take away from the experience.

“I was very pleased with how I played but I think I definitely could have been more consistent and patient with my game,” El Karfa told The Royal Gazette.

The Co-Op Academy North Manchester student is now busy ironing out the kinks in her game under the direction of coach David Kiely in preparation for her next outing on court.

“Amira felt strong in her first attempt and will continue to work on improving,,” said El Karfa’s mother Gerri Swan, who has also played an integral role in her daughter’s ongoing development.

El Karfa is competing on the LTA Winter Competition Guide North region circuit, which runs from September to March and went into her last tournament on a high after capturing the under-14 girls title at the same venue last month.

The unseeded player upset second seed Isabella Lamb 4-0, 4-0 in the final to savour her first taste of success since moving to England three years ago.

The former Harrington Sound Primary School student also dispatched No 1 seed Poppy O’Neill 4-1, 4-2 in the semi-final on the way to glory.